Can you be a Minimalist?

A few years ago, The Minimalists (Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus) were the keynote speakers at my productivity and organizing conference that I attend each year. In 2009, both of them were approaching 30 years old and had made it big in the corporate world. They had every material possession they could ever want, but something was missing. They weren’t happy. So, they started their 21-day minimalist journey. Each day, they focused on a different aspect of their life from relationships, health, time and work. They also decluttered and rid themselves of what they call their “cluttered, consumer-driven life” to become minimalist. What happened what life changing. Read their journey at theminimalists.com.

What is a minimalist? It is not only about limiting your material possessions and focusing on having less. In fact, it’s focusing on making room for more. As Joshua and Ryan say, “More time, more passion, more creativity, more experiences, more contentment and more freedom.”

This their Minimalist Elevator Speech: “Minimalism is a lifestyle that helps people question what things add value to their lives. By clearing the clutter from life’s path, we can all make room for the most important aspects of life: health, relationships, passion, growth, and contribution.”

Take some time today and think about what they are saying. Do you want to or can you be a minimalist, even if it is only in certain aspects of your life? If so, what aspects of your life would it be?

Remember, clutter doesn’t only come in the form of material possessions. It could be working too much, being a part of a toxic relationship, not making self-care a priority or poor management of your finances. Make a list of the things you’d like to change. Is this theory of minimalism something you can embrace?

Life is a journey. Sometimes we need to slow down and take a look at what we’re doing and figure out what is working and what is not. Let that day be today.